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New
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Year 7

Father of many nations

I can explain how Abraham is seen as a literal and metaphorical father of many nations.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 7

Father of many nations

I can explain how Abraham is seen as a literal and metaphorical father of many nations.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Abraham was blessed with children much later in life than is usually possible.
  2. Abraham having descendants was part of the Abrahamic covenant.
  3. Abraham's descendants become significant in shaping the Abrahamic religions.
  4. Abraham may be seen as a metaphorical father of many nations, as Judaism, Christianity and Islam trace back to him.

Keywords

  • Abrahamic - referring to a group of monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam)

  • Descendants - your children and any further generations of children that begin from them

  • Nation - a large body of people, united by social and territorial commonalities

  • Tribe - a social group made up of many families sharing the same customs and values

Common misconception

Judaism, Christianity and Islam have nothing in common.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam are Abrahamic faiths and all three religions can be traced back to Abraham through his sons Ishmael and Isaac and their descendants.

Abraham was still referred to as Abram in the Bible when Ishmael was born. This is why the teacher or students may notice this change in name in the scripture used in Learning Cycle 1.
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Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Depiction or discussion of sexual content

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which promise is linked to Abraham's name change?
the promise of land
Correct answer: the promise of descendants
the promise of blessing and redemption
Q2.
What was the sign of the Abrahamic covenant?
a signed contract
Correct answer: circumcision
offspring
the name change
Q3.
God changed Sarai's name to .
Correct Answer: Sarah
Q4.
Which keyword refers to a person's child or children?
circumcision
covenant
Correct answer: offspring
monotheism
Q5.
Many still practice circumcision during the Brit Milah ceremony.
Correct Answer: Jews, Jewish people
Q6.
Why did Abraham leave his home?
because of conflict
because he had smashed his father's idols
Correct answer: because God asked him to

6 Questions

Q1.
What were the names of Abraham's two sons?
Correct answer: Isaac
Isaiah
Correct answer: Ishmael
Israel
Q2.
Which one of Abraham's sons had 12 sons?
Correct Answer: Ishmael
Q3.
Whose son was Jacob?
Ishmael
Araham
Correct answer: Isaac
Q4.
Jacob's 12 sons became the heads of the twelve tribes of .
Correct Answer: Israel
Q5.
Which Abrahamic faith can be traced back to Abraham through Ishmael and his descendants?
Christianity
Judaism
Correct answer: Islam
Q6.
Christianity can be traced back to Abraham through Judaism because __________ was Jewish.
Isaac
David
Correct answer: Jesus
Moses

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